It was November about 4 years ago – near Christmas but not near enough for me to slow down so I kept pushing myself. There was so much to do! Not just my work but my social life too. There were demands and expectations from people, and things I would normally handle easily, became a real challenge – like saying ‘No’.

If you’re due to retire it is because you have chosen to do so. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t experience anxiety – what will it be like? The uncertainty can be stressful and draining.

In my conversations with people in the same situation I’m struck by how many suddenly become very busy. They tell me they have to tie loose ends; that they don’t want to leave a mess, that they have to hand over to their successor, that they have to train them from scratch.

When I turned 60 I had to face the fact that I was heading towards retirement, something I had never even considered. I probably was in denial and only came out of it because of a message from the HR department. I had been in my job for the last 8 years. I really enjoyed the work and I was well paid. Also, I had a really good relationship with my colleagues – all of which I knew I would lose once I actually retired. The HR message served to put the whole issue right in front of my face. I had nowhere to hide.

I was really feeling unsettled about the whole idea – losing my colleagues, losing my purpose, losing my routine. Also, there was the question of structure. I imagined